Napping machine



Mardi 23, 1965 c. BERTRAND 3,175,224

NAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 41- INVENTOR////////////////`///l c//ARL/s BEER/WD March 23, 1965 c. BERTRAND3,175,224

MAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. CHARLESBERWND A77' ORNE YS Mgrch 23, 1965v c. BERTRAND 3,175,224

NAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR CHARLES5mm@ March 23, 1965 c. BERTRAND NAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1965 4Sheets-Sheet 4 mi 432 3'/ al l ATTORNEYS United States Patent()3,175,224 NAPPING MAQHWE Charles Bertrand, Verviers, Belgium, assignorto Beacon Manufacturing Company, a corporation of' Delawarel Filed Feb.20, 1963, Ser. No. 259,853 1 Claim. (Cl. 26-33) This invention relatesto napped fabrics, particularly blankets, and to improved methods andmeans for producing same. This application is a continuation-in-part ofmy application Serial No. 193,213, filed May 8, 1962.

In accordance with this invention the nap produced on the blanket or thelike, is markedly higher and the bers opened up and made more receptiveto chemical treatment to prevent shedding and the like.

The markedly improved napped product of the present invention has a napheight that is 50% to 100% greater than that obtainable when usingconventional napping methods and means.

The napping operation of this invention has the additional advantages ofreducing damage to the base fabric `resulting from the nappingtreatment, minimizing waste and breakage of threads, and reducing thetime required for the napping operation as much as 50%. A characterizingaspect of this operation is the positioning of the outgoing or exitroller for the napped cloth, at approximately the top midpoint of thenapping cylinder, so that the fabric being napped remains in contactwith the napping rollers for only about one-half of the circumference ofthe napping cylinder. This is in contrast to the conventional nappingmachine operation in which the fabric being napped extendsaroundpractically the entire circumference of the napping cylinder andaccordingly requires twice the napping time of the present invention.

A characterizing feature of the napping rolls of this invention is thattwo different types of napping or carding clothing are used on twodifferent types of napping rolls. On one type of napping roll namely,the roll that effects the primary raising of the nap and is commonlycalled the pile roll, the numerous wires or pins thereon have hookshaped ends. This construction provides very eiiicient napping of thefabric. The hooked pins draw through the surface of the fabric, such asblanket cloth, to produce the markedly high nap.

The other napping roll used in the napping machine of this invention iscommonly known as the counterpile roll. It is larger than the pile rolland usually operates at a faster speed. Normally, the napping wire orclothing used on the counterpile roll has straight points at the ends ofthe pins. In contrast thereto the wires or pins used in the counterpilerolls of this invention have fiattened, knife-like or chisel-like ends.These specially shaped wires function to tuck or smooth the wild orteasled fibers resulting from the action of the hook shaped wires on thepile rolls. This tucking function of the special clothing on thecounterpile rolls gives the high nap product a smoother, and moreuniform nap with a better interlocking of the napped libers.

The relative speeds of rotation of the pile rolls and counterpile rollsand the napping machine cylinder are important, and in conjunction, withthe above described functions of the pile and counterpile rolls and themidpoint location of the outgoing roll, produce a substantially highernap than is obtainable by the prior methods and means and render the napmore receptive to subsequent chemical treatment.

The foregoing and other novel features of the method and means andresulting product will be more fully understood from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional View of a pile roll and a counterpileroll as mounted on a napping machine ICC cylinder and using the twospecial napping clothings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side View of a short section of the special pileroll clothing using the hook shaped pins; FIG. 3 is an enlargedelevational view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2, of one of thespecialhook shaped' 4 pins shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side View of a short section of the specialcounterpile roll clothing using the chisel shaped pins; g

FIG. 5 is an enlarged elevational view taken along `lines 5-5 of FIG. 4of one of the chisel shaped pins shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an edge view of a fragment of conventionally napped blanketfabric prior to the napping operation of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an edge view of a fragment of napped blanket fabric producedinV accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a napping cylinder with pileand counterpile rolls mounted thereon and associated equipment forfeeding and guiding the cloth around a portion of the napping rolls andtaking oif of the napped cloth; p ,p

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of a napping machine adapted to napcloth in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational View of the napping machine shown in FIG.9.

Referring now to FIG. l, the fabric web 10 which has been previouslynapped to the maximum extent possible with conventional prior methodsand means, is fed in the direction of the arrow 11 and is napped firstby the pile roll 12 and then by the counterpile roll 13. It cornes firstinto operative contact with the hook shaped pin clothing 14 which coversthe surface of the pile roll 12 and then into contact with the chiselshaped pin clothing l 15 that covers the counterpile roll 13. The rolls12 and 13 are mounted on supports 16 and 17 which are carried on thecylinder 18. These rolls rotate in the same direction, as indicated bythe arrows.

The hook shaped pins 19 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, are mounted in a fabricbase 20 and are angled as shown at 21. The fabric contacting ends ofthese pins have a hook like shape 22. In a typical example, these pinsare made from 30 gauge Wire and there are approximately 144 pins persquare inch of the clothing.

The chisel shaped pins 23 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are mounted in a fabricbase 24, are angled, as shown at 2S, and have iiat, chisel or knife-likeends 26. In a typical example, these pins, are made from 30 gauge wireand there are approximately 144 pins per square inch of the clothing.

The general characteristics of a conventionally napped blanket cloth arediagrammatically indicated in the fragmentary showing in FIG. 6. Thelimited height of the nap is shown at 27 and the attened disposition ofthe fibers at 2S. These characteristics are representative of blanketcloth before it is napped by the novel method and means of the presentinvention.

In marked contrast to the low nap fabric shown in FIG. 6, the high napfabric of the present invention is indicated at 42 in FIG. 7 and theupright position of the supernapped bers is indicated at 29. Theexceedingly high nap with upstanding opened up fibers illustrated inFIG. 7 is characteristic of the end product of the present invention.

The product of the present invention may be obtained from fabricscomposed entirely of synthetic fibers, such as nylon or acrylic bers, orfrom cellulosic fibers, such as for example cotton and rayon, or anydesired mixture of synthetic and natural fibers. The base fabric whichis napped to provide the product of this invention may be s of anyWoven, tufted, or knitted pattern which is adapted to withstand thenapping operation.

The method ofoperation and general arrangement of the napping machineillustrated iny FIG. 8, comprises bringing the previously napped blanketcloth or the like 30 into oeprative Contact with the alternatelyarranged pile rolls 31 and counterpile rolls 32, mounted on a nappingcylinder 33. These rolls 31 and 32 raise and tuck the nap respectively,in the manner described hereinabove. The cloth 30 is fed to this nappingoperation in any suitable manner through a system of guide andtensioning rolls indicated at 34, 35, 36, and 37. It is important tosubject the cloth 30 to the working or napping of the bers by the rolls31 and 32 for the length of time that will provide maximum height of thenap and proper disposition of the bers while minimizing deterioration ofthe fabric and the waste that normally occurs in a napping operation. Ithas been found in accordance with this invention that optimum resultsare obtained, as indicated in FIG. 8, when the cloth is maintained innapping contact around approximately one-half of the circumference ofthe cylinder 33.

The best results with different Weights and types of blanket cloth orthe like can be determined by varying the position of the outgoingroller 39. The position of the outgoing roller 39 with respect to thecircumference of the cylinder 33 and the distance from this cylinder maybe made adjustable by suitable means such as described in my above priorapplication Serial No. 193,213. For napping 72" x 90 blankets having aweight of about 2 to 3 lbs., location of the outgoing roller atapproximately the position shown in FIG. 8, gives good results. It hasbeen found that if the outgoing roller 39 is positioned substantiallyfarther around the circumference of the cylindeer 33, for example, atthe bottom of the cylinder approximately in line with the lead-in roll38, this will cause excessive working or napping of the cloth withresultant damage to the base fabric and to the nap.

The napping machine shown in FIG, 9 is a commercial embodiment of thenapping apparatus diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 8 and describedabove. Corresponding parts in the two gures are identified by the samereference numerals. As shown in FIG. 9, the napping machine comprises aframe 40, which is braced by a tie rod 41. In operation, the cloth (notshown in FIG. 9) is fed rst through the tension device 34, then underidler roll 35, around tension roll 36, then around stationary drum 37,next around tension roll 38 (shown in FIG. 8 but not visible in FIG. 9)and then into napping contact with the pile and counterpile rolls 31 and32 et seq., and inally around outgoing roll 39.

For completeness ot illustration and understanding, there is shown inFIG. 10, the opposite or back side of they napping machine, which isviewed from the front side in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 10, the oppositeside of the machine is substantially the same as the front side andcomprises the frame 40, a brace or tie rod 43 and a continuation of thepile and counterpile rolls 31 and 32, et seq. alternately mounted on thecylinder 33. As already described above, the Supernapping operation ofthe present yinvention is completed by the time the cloth reaches theoutgoing roll 39 and it is led away from the machine around that roll.

I claim:

A machine for the napping of fabric, particularly blanket cloth,comprising a napping cylinder having mounted thereon a plurality of pileand counterpile rolls in alternating arrangement and means for rotatingsaid pile and counterpile rolls at different relative speeds, said pilerolls being covered with a napping clothing comprising angled pinshaving hook shaped ends to eiect raising of a relatively very high napand opening up of the bers of said fabric, said counterpile rolls beingcovered with a napping clothing comprising angled pins having chiselshaped ends which are adapted to tuck and dispose uniformly inupstanding opened position, the raised fibers produced by said pile`rolls, and an outgoing roll adjustably mounted about the circumferenceof the cylinder so as to subject the fabric to the desired degree ofnapping and tucking action of the pile and counterpile rolls disposedaround the napping cylinder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 640,520 l/00Bailey 26-37 787,095 4/05 Greene 26-33 810,273 1/06 Greene 26-33 992,1755/11 Dexter 26-31 1,468,403 9/ 23 Ross 26-31 1,622,893 3 27 Walker 26-311,874,270 8/32 Flynn 26-31 2,117,079 5/ 38 Bulford 26-29 2,129,707 9/ 38 Runton 26-29 2,129,877 9/ 38 Runton 26-29 2,749,593 6/56 Hadley 26-293,034,193 5/62 Parker et al. 26-2 3,034,194 5/62 Priester et al. 161-643,037,262 6/62 Spencer 161-164 FOREIGN PATENTS 408,824 2/ 10 France.

2,711 of 1877 Great Britain. 11,830 of 1897 Great Britain. 19,875 of1894 Great Britain.

DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTIGN Patent No.3,175,224

March 23, 194 Charles Bertrand It is hereby certified that error appearsin the above ent requiring correction numbered patand that the saidLetters corrected below.

Patent should read as In the` grant, line I8 for "this twenty-third dayof February" read this twenty-third line 6, for "oeprative" read llne35, for "cylndeer" read cylinder (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

